Richard Kuhn

Richard Kuhn
(1900-1967)

German biochemist who was awarded the 1938 Nobel Prize for Chemistry
for work on carotenoids and vitamins. Forbidden by the Nazis to accept
the award, he finally received his diploma and gold medal after World
War II.
Kuhn took his doctorate from the University of Munich in 1922 for work
on enzymes under Richard Willstatter. He spent 1926-29 at the technical
school in Zurich and then became professor at the University of Heidelberg
and director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Medical Research (later
renamed for Max Planck) at Heidelberg.

Kuhn investigated the structure of compounds related to the carotenoids,
the fat-soluble yellow colouring agents widely distributed in nature.
He discovered at least eight carotenoids, prepared them in pure form,
and determined their constitution. He discovered that one was necessary
for the fertilization of certain algae. Simultaneously with Paul Karrer
he announced the constitution of vitamin B2 and was the first to isolate
a gram of it. With coworkers he also isolated vitamin B6. From 1948
he was an editor of Justus Liebigs Annalen der Chemie ("Justus
Liebig's Annals of Chemistry").